was the large and thriving village of Rockford, and thither Mrs. Ashton at length decided to remove.  One reason for this decision was the excellent institution for the education of young ladies, which was there located.  She was very anxious that her daughter should obtain a good education, but was sorely puzzled as to raising the money needful for defraying her expenses.  There were a few debts due her husband at the time of his death; these she collected with little difficulty.  Their dwelling had been handsomely furnished, and she decided to sell the furniture, as she could easily, upon their arrival at Rockford, purchase what articles were necessary for furnishing their new home, which must, of necessity, be humble.  One article she felt they must retain if possible, and that was the piano given her by her father at the period of her marriage.  She did at first entertain the idea of parting with it, thinking how far the money it would bring would go in defraying the expenses attendant upon Emma’s education, but upon second consideration, she resolved that they would not part with her father’s parting-gift to her, unless compelled to do so by actual want; and so when their old home was broken up the piano was carefully packed and forwarded to Rockford.  The home where they had resided so long was very dear to them, and it would have grieved them to leave it at any time; but to leave at the glad season of spring, when the trees which shaded their dwelling were beginning to put forth their leaves, and the flowers which adorned their garden were bursting into bloom, seemed to them doubly sad.  But their preparations for removal were finally completed; and they left their home followed by the good wishes of many who had long known and loved them.  Upon their arrival at Rockford, Mrs. Ashton hired a cheap tenement in a respectable locality, which she furnished in a plain but decent manner.  When they became settled in their new home they had still in hand money sufficient to secure them from immediate want, but as Mrs. Ashton wished Emma to enter at once upon her studies, she was very anxious to devise some means of earning money to meet necessary expenses.  There was one family residing in Rockford with whom Mrs. Ashton had several years before been intimately acquainted:  their name was Lebaron, and they at one time resided in the same village with the Ashtons.  Mr. Lebaron had opened a store upon removing to Rockford; the world had smiled upon him, and he was now considered one of the most wealthy and influential men in the village.

It has been often said that “prosperity hardens the heart of man,” but if such is the case in general, Mr. Lebaron proved an exception to the general rule.  He had heard with much sorrow of the death of Mr. Ashton, and also of the other misfortunes which had overtaken the family; and no sooner did he learn of the arrival of the widow and daughter in Rockford, than, accompanied by his wife, he hastened to call